Following LG’s Lead, Samsung Forms An Apple-Specific Display Team

Posted: April 15, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Samsung is is the strange position of being a major supplier to Apple, one of its biggest rivals. Apple insider.com says they have now joined LG in forming a team dedicated to Apple products. 200 Samsung employees will focus exclusively on displays for Apple.

Huawei, the 4th largest smartphone maker, has just rolled out it’s new flagship, the P8. According to engadget.com, it has a 5.2 inch screen in a metal Apple-like body, and sports a 13 megapixel main camera that can take long exposure shots in low light.

Android devices are everywhere. With the European Union antitrust suit against Google and Google’s response memo, bgr.com reports we now know HOW widely Android is used. Google lists over 18,000 different devices running Android now!

Big Savings on Moto 360 Smart Watch

Posted: April 14, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Motorola’s next generation smartwatch has been spotted in the wild, and should be out shortly. Now, engadget.com says the Moto 360 has dropped to $165 at Google’s store. It’s a great looking and working Android smartwatch at 85 bucks off the regular price.

Techcrunch.com reports that Apple has patented a system that uses contextual information like current time zone, ringer silence status, battery life, location and cell network strength to let friends know you’re available for calls. Yes, it IS opt-in!

Google said last month that it was planning a small wireless service that would operate like existing carriers. According to business insider.com, you’d pay a flat rate for talk and text, and pay by the gigabyte, and could switch phones without a sim card.

Google Plans Apple Watch Access from Android

Posted: April 12, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Google seems poised to pull something clever regarding the Apple Watch. Businessinsider.com notes they may be building support for the iPhone into their Android Wear smartwatch software. The present Android wear smartwatches only work with Android phones, and of course Apple Watch only talks to iPhones.

According to forbes.com, Paypal will be allowed to work with Amazon and Alibaba after the split from eBay later this year. The parent company has been positioning Paypal as a ‘true neutral third party’ to commerce and retail clients. In the short term, eBay will remain Paypal’s biggest client, however.

Microsoft has launched without fanfare a new Android app that lets you control Powerpoint presentations on a PC from your Android smartphone. Thenextweb.com reports says the Office Remote app also works with Excel and Word. The remote app has previously only been available on Windows phones.

Amazon has quietly acquired Shoefitr, a startup that uses 3D tech to help match online shoppers with shoes that will fit them better. TechCrunch.com says it’s unclear so far if they will operate it as a freestanding site, roll it into their Zappos subsidiary, or both.

Galaxy S6 Presales Are Encouraging to Samsung

Posted: April 11, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s no secret that the Galaxy S5 has been disappointing to Samsung. Bgr.com says early signs show the S6 may be the smash hit they badly need. The reviews are good, but more importantly, preorders are already almost double those of the S5 on T-Mobile. The other carriers haven’t weighed in yet on sales of the upcoming Samsung hero phone.

Overall PC shipments have dropped 5.2 percent worldwide first quarter of 2015, but Apple’s Mac has handily bucked that trend. Appleinsider.com reports that Mac sales were up 9% in the US, based on figures from Gartner. That gives Apple 12 % of the US market.

With the upcoming Windows 10 system from Microsoft, Redmond will be merging apps, movies, TV shows, and music into a single location. According to the verge.com, Microsoft will introduce a unified store, and will ensure apps and content can work across PCs, tablets, phones, and the Xbox One. They plan to reveal more about the store at their Build developer conference later this month.

iPhone Users on Sprint Join T-Mobile Users With Wi-Fi Calling

Posted: April 9, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

With Apple’s latest update, iOS 8.3, iPhone users gain Wi-Fi calling on Sprint. T-Mobile users have had it since fall. The verge.com says AT&T and Verizon will cave, and allow the feature later this year. Wi-Fi calling routes calls through Wi-Fi you’re connected to, instead of over the cellular system, so doesn’t count against your minutes.

Samsung is expecting record sales from the Galaxy S6, but warns that the S6 Edge will be in short supply at launch. 9to5google.com reports that Samsung has warned that manufacturing difficulties will make the ‘edgier’ phone scarce at first.

According to thenextweb.com, YouTube will launch a paid service later this year for users that don’t want to see ads. It will cost you 10 bucks a month. Content creators will still get a percentage of revenue from the paid views.

Could Samsung Be Thinking of Releasing a 2 Line Galaxy S6?

Posted: April 8, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pictures have showed up online of a prototype duel sim card Samsung Galaxy S6. Dubbed the Duo, cnet.com reports it would allow for 2 phone numbers…business and personal, or for people who travel overseas frequently. No word on it’s possible release.

Thenextweb.com says an app called Taplet is out for iOS…it extracts still pictures from your videos. You can even upload GoPro or Snapchat footage to your phone and pick HD images. It’s free at the App Store.

Engineers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland have developed a system that automatically uprights drones and finds them a place to land, avoiding crashes. According to engadget.com, it even works in constrained areas and indoors.

Plenty of Apps For Apple Watch

Posted: April 7, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In a vote of confidence about the imminent Apple Watch, geekwire.com reports that developers submitted over 1000 apps to run on the smart watch in the first 4 days they could be. The watch becomes available April 24th.

Just 4 days after that, on the 28th, LG will roll out it’s G4 smartphone at an event. According to theverge.com, it will feature a new camera with an f 1.8 lens, that shoots much better in low light.

Daimler Trucks, a division of the company that makes Mercedes-Benz cars, has a prototype Freightliner big rig that doubles the 6 mpg of normal rigs. Engadget.com says it uses a hybrid diesel/electric power plant, and has solar panels on the roof of the trailer. No word on when it might hit the market.

Motorola Testing Next Gen Moto 360 ‘Smelt’

Posted: April 5, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Motorola is testing a possible successor to the Moto 360 smart watch. 9to5google.com says it’s code named Smelt (the present watch was ‘Minnow’.) The prototype is running Android 5.1, and has 360×360 screen resolution. The prototype looks to have a different case, and is rumored to be released in September.

Thenextweb.com reports that Microsoft has announced updates to the Skype and Skype Qik apps. Both get a new layout, 8 new video effects, support for 12 new languages, and most importantly…more emoji!

Sad news for netizens…the internet doesn’t make you smarter, you only think it does! According to arstechnica.com, research from Yale published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology shows that we are blurring the boundary between our own internal knowledge, and material easily looked up with search engines. Transactive memory was already known when people share information and memories between roommates, family, and the like…now we can add the computer to the equation.

Next iPhone Will Run on Samsung Processors…Again

Posted: April 4, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Samsung will be making the A9 chips for the next generation iPhone, according to macrumors.com. There have been conflicting rumors over whether it would be Samsung, Taiwan Semiconductor, or a combination. The phone may also be the iPhone 7…Apple may add Force Touch from the Apple Watch to the screen and skip the 6S designation.

The Ubiquitous Evernote has a couple new features for iOS. Thenextweb.com reports that the note-taking app gets new camera functionality and support for the soon-to-be released Apple Watch. You will be able to auto-capture images when you point your camera at documents and business cards in the app.

NASA is teaming up with Boeing to make planes more eco-friendly. Engadget.com says they are experimenting with 31 tiny jets on the tail fin. This adds stability, and allows for a 17% smaller tail, making planes lighter and more fuel efficient.

New Features for Microsoft Outlook on Android & iOS

Posted: April 2, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Microsoft has updated Outlook for both iOS and Android, according to thenextweb.com. It now shows the full blown address book, there’s a 3 day landscape view of Calendar, and you can now enter zero length meetings & cancel appointments.

Google has expanded App Runtime for Chrome, allowing all developers to make Android apps that will run on any PC or Mac with a Chrome browser. Engadget.com warns that even so, not all mobile apps will play well, but expect many to join Evernote and Vine on your desktop.

The Navy is developing a duck-like drone. Dubbed the Flimmer, engadget.com says it will fly around looking for subs, and then can poke its nose into the water for a better look. They’re trying to improve it’s ability to dive into choppy seas at this point.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →